"As it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore GOD is not ashamed to be called their GOD, for HE has prepared for them a city. Heb. 11:16 An inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you." I Pet. 1:4
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
I went by to see my friend Darlene earlier this week. Darlene is struggling with breast cancer. She was able to come home from the hospital over the weekend, and her husband texted me to let me know she was home and he had a cozy place set up for her. When i dropped by Monday morning on my way to Bible study, i had no idea what a cozy place Arthur had set up for his wife. Darlene's sister, Derita, was outside in a camp chair, and she told me to go on in. When i stepped inside, Darlene's Mom was cooking some fried eggs and her other sister, Lisa, was scurrying around helping with breakfast. They told me Darlene and Arthur were on the sun porch. I was surprised as i was expecting to go back to Arthur and Darlene's bedroom. When i walked through the double doors, there was Arthur standing over Darlene in a hospital bed, feeding her a delicious breakfast of pancakes he had made, scrambled eggs, and bacon. Darlene's bed was facing the swimming pool in the back yard, which was surrounded by trees...a beautiful view. I was amazed at this restful and peaceful place that Arthur had so lovingly prepared for his wife so Darlene could enjoy the view. Darlene was more precious than ever, and though she struggled to say much, she insisted on waiting to eat until she visited with me. Darlene told me the LORD has been good to her. She and I talked briefly about a camping trip our families went on together one time, and how all we did was cooked and washed heavy cast iron pots the whole time. We share so many memories when we were homeschooling our children. I told Darlene i was very sorry about the 4-5 year gap that we have had in our friendship and she told me not to be sorry...through her suffering, the LORD brought our paths back together in recent months. We talked about how good Arthur has been to her to love her and care for her. I told her she was good to him too. I never heard Darlene say one negative thing about her husband...in fact i don't remember her ever saying a bad word about anyone. I was saying what a beautiful place Arthur has prepared for her and she said, "I have a good view from here." I hugged Darlene and kissed her and she kissed me back on the cheek. Though she didn't have much strength, she used it to visit with me those few precious moments and give me the best of her sweet love. It's hard to write this about my friend, that I may never get to talk to again on earth. Darlene has been such a true friend, and she is so dear and so very precious...I know that JESUS lives in her heart, and HIS presence was there with us as we visited that morning. Please remember her and all her family in your prayers as they lovingly care for her.
When Darlene shared those words with me that she has a good view, it flashed into my mind, that not only was her physical view good, but Darlene and Arthur both have a good view of their heavenly FATHER and heaven from here. There is nothing like suffering and facing death to sharpen our view of JESUS and fix our mind on heavenly things. When Darlene looked at me and told me the LORD has been good to her, i knew that she meant it, and she knows her LORD and she is ready to meet HIM if HE calls her home. She and Arthur have fought the good fight, but Darlene's body is giving out, and Arthur has prepared his bride for heaven, singing over her, encouraging her, and laying down his life in every way to make her journey here as comfortable as possible and to prepare her for her heavenly home. I have never seen a husband pour out his life in so many ways as Arthur has for Darlene.
As I write this, I am once again reminded of how CHRIST JESUS loves HIS Bride, the Church, and how HE pours out HIS life for us, in every way including death on the cross to pay for our sins. I also think of how Arthur longed to be able to bring Darlene home from hospital so he could prepare her a beautiful place to rest and feed her nutritious food and surround her with the love and care of her family. I think about how my heavenly FATHER is preparing a place for me and for those who have accepted JESUS as their LORD and SAVIOR in heaven right now, because HE loves us so very much.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with ME that you also may be where I am. John 14:3
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." II Cor. 4:16-18.
Even though Darlene's outward man, like all of us, is perishing, yet inward she has been renewed day by day and that "good view" with her eyes on JESUS has helped Arthur and Darlene to not look at the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen. It takes spiritual eyes, that only GOD can give us to help us to "view" the things that are not seen, like heaven. It usually takes suffering to help us see JESUS more real than we've ever seen HIM before. Sweet Arthur texted me that late one night he was reading Psalms over his precious wife, and that he had seen JESUS. Not physically, but with spiritual eyes, JESUS had revealed himself to Arthur in his darkest night and Arthur's joy was overflowing in HIS presence.
A few years ago, my heart was broken over a friendship that I desired very much and I had been rejected by this person. I cried and cried, and our family went to Gatlinburg later on in the week. I will never forget through my brokenness, how the LORD revealed HIMself so precious to me in so many different ways on that trip... the reality of HIS presence was so real and so near to me in my brokenness that I will never forget the sense of HIS Presence. Truly "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18
I didn't really know which way I was going to go when I started out writing this email, but once again the LORD has led me to share a glimpse into the beautiful relationship that Arthur and Darlene have with each other and with our LORD JESUS CHRIST. What is it that makes Arthur love his wife enough to lay down HIS life for her...it's the power of the Cross and only JESUS can give us a heart of love to pour ourselves out for others to the end of ourselves and beyond.
Love is the Power of the Cross
What is it that makes the young man devote himself, as a missionary, to the cause of God, to leave father and mother, and go into distant lands? It is a thing of power that does it; it is the gospel. What is it that constrains the far away minister, in the midst of cholera, to climb up that creaking staircase, and stand by the bed of some dying creature who has that tragic disease? It must be a thing of power which leads him to risk his life; it is love of the cross of Christ which urges him to do it. What is that which enables one man to stand up before a multitude of his fellows, all unprepared it may be, but determined that he will speak nothing but Christ, and Him crucified? What is it that enables him to cry, like the war horse of Job, in battle, Yes! and more glorious in might? It is a thing of power that does it—it is Christ crucified.What encourages that timid female to walk down that dark road some wet evening, that she may go and sit by the victim of a contagious fever? What strengthens her to go through that den of thieves, and pass by the depraved and perverted? What influences her to enter into that house of death, and there sit down and whisper words of comfort? Does gold make her do it? They are to poor to give her gold. Does fame make her do it? She will never be known nor written among the mighty women of this earth. What makes her do it? What impels her to it? It is the power, the thing of power; it is the cross of Christ—she loves it, and she therefore says, Were the whole realm of nature mine, As a present it would be far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.
—Charles H. Spurgeon
"LORD Crucified, give me a heart like THINE,
Teach me to love the dying souls of men,
And keep my heart in closest touch with THEE
And give me love, pure Calvary love
To win the lost for THEE. "
-Hannah Hurnard, Hearing Heart
"HE died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for HIM who died for them and was raised again." 2 Cor. 5:15
JESUS CHRIST is our Bridegroom, and as Arthur has laid down his life for Darlene in so many ways, JESUS laid down HIS for us on the Cross, and continues to as HE lovingly plans for us, and prepares for us:
"What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what GOD has prepared for those who love HIM -these things GOD has revealed to us through the SPIRIT." I Cor. 2:9-10
HE orchestrates our circumstances to bring us into a more intimate relationship with HIM and much of the time it involves suffering to draw us nearer to HIS precious side. HE kisses us with the kisses of HIS lips and HE longs to draw us close to HIM, and lovingly and tenderly care for us. HE longs to whisper into our ear HIS love for us, and sing over us as it says in Zephaniah 3:17
"The LORD your GOD in your midst, The MIGHTY ONE will save: HE will rejoice over you with gladness, HE will quiet you with HIS love, HE will rejoice over you with singing."
JESUS cannot look upon sin, and HE cannot have an intimate relationship with us unless we have repented of our sin and trusted HIM to heal us of our sin sickness by the precious blood HE shed for you and for me on the Cross. I invite you today, if you've never come to JESUS, "Just as You Are" and ask HIM to forgive you and save you to be HIS forever. HE loves us so much and cares for us so very tenderly, even more than Arthur cares so tenderly for his precious wife. Invite HIM into your life, and HE will come and live inside you through HIS HOLY SPIRIT, where HE will never, never, never, never, never leave us or forsake us. Hebrews 13:5. Elisabeth Elliot (www.elisabethelliot.org) wrote that the way that verse is written in the Greek it emphasizes the "never" 5 times. Some husbands who leave their wives and forsake them, but JESUS will never, never, never, never, never leave us or forsake us...and HE will go with us when we go through the deep waters, and through the fire.
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned. Nor shall the flame scorch you. for I am the LORD your GOD. For I am the LORD your GOD. The HOLY ONE of Israel, your SAVIOR; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Since you were precious in MY sight, You have been honored, and I have loved you." Is. 43:1-4
JESUS does love us so very much, even when in our view things don't look good on earth and all we can see is ashes. HE uses these trials to sharpen our view of HIM and heaven and draw our eyes to the unseen, to HIM, HIS WORD, heaven, and the New Jerusalem, and things to come and things that are happening all around us as foretold in the Bible thousands of years ago.
"Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet home, A tabernacle that will not be taken down; Not one of its stakes will ever be removed, Nor will any of its cords be broken. But there the majestic LORD will be for us A place of broad rivers and streams...and the inhabitant will not say, "I am sick"; the people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity." Isaiah 33:20, 24
This very day the United Nations is meeting to discuss dividiving the land of Israel. We are reading through Isaiah in our Daily Bible reading, and I am amazed at how the things I read about Israel coming together as a nation has already happened and the groundwork is being laid for JESUS to come back and rule and reign in the New Jerusalem. These are exciting days for us to be living in, keep your eyes on JESUS, on Israel, and how GOD is lovingly caring for them and protecting them from their enemies, just as HE promises all throughout HIS WORD...see Psalm 83. A few websites that help me to understand what's going on are: (www.johnmcternan.name), (www.watch.org) and (www.olivetreeviews.org). I believe JESUS's return could be very soon, as the signs of HIS coming are all around us. One of those signs is the rebuilding of the Temple as foretold in Rev. 11:1-2. Here is article that a friend posted earlier this week on FB about the rebuilding of the Temple. I hope that you can see it .http://www.
"Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet home, A tabernacle that will not be taken down; Not one of its stakes will ever be removed, Nor will any of its cords be broken. But there the majestic LORD will be for us A place of broad rivers and streams...and the inhabitant will not say, "I am sick"; the people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity." Isaiah 33:20, 24
This very day the United Nations is meeting to discuss dividiving the land of Israel. We are reading through Isaiah in our Daily Bible reading, and I am amazed at how the things I read about Israel coming together as a nation has already happened and the groundwork is being laid for JESUS to come back and rule and reign in the New Jerusalem. These are exciting days for us to be living in, keep your eyes on JESUS, on Israel, and how GOD is lovingly caring for them and protecting them from their enemies, just as HE promises all throughout HIS WORD...see Psalm 83. A few websites that help me to understand what's going on are: (www.johnmcternan.name), (www.watch.org) and (www.olivetreeviews.org). I believe JESUS's return could be very soon, as the signs of HIS coming are all around us. One of those signs is the rebuilding of the Temple as foretold in Rev. 11:1-2. Here is article that a friend posted earlier this week on FB about the rebuilding of the Temple. I hope that you can see it .http://www.
"For I will defend this city, to save it for MY own sake and for MY servant David's sake." Isaiah 37:35
GOD really has given us "a good view" to understand the times, through the reading of HIS WORD. The book of Isaiah is an amazing book as GOD gave us a view into the future when HE wrote those words through the prophet Isaiah, times that we are living in right now. "Jerusalem," is an awesome song http://www.youtube.com/
1Thessalonians 4:16,17 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (18)Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
I pray that your heart will be encouraged as you read these words, and that you and I will ask GOD to help us to view our circumstances and the the things going on in the world from HIS view, not ours, to give us HIS eyes to see, HIS heart to feel the pain and compassion of others, and HIS ears to hear and discern what others are going through and the signs of the times. I used the song "Blessings,"http://www.
Please remember my dear friends, Arthur and Darlene and their family in your prayers. Please pray for the peace of Israel , Psalm 122, and for Prime Minister Netanyahu as he readies for a showdown with Abbas at the United Nations today. Please pray for Taranda Greene, Tim, Kim and their whole family as it will be a year this week that Tony unexpectedly went to be with JESUS. Please remember Jordan Johnson in your prayers, the son of our former pastor who fell over 30 feet this week at work, and has already had multiple surgeries and will be in rehab for several weeks. Please remember his dear parents as they watch their dear son go through this painful process, and courageously praise the LORD in the midst of the storm. Thank you for remembering our family in your prayers...John Mac should hear this week if he got accepted to the early entrance program at UAB, i've got another round of parasite medicine to go and I need your prayers for healing, patience, a renewed view of CHRIST's love for me daily, and courage as I wait on the LORD to bring healing to my body....we all need one another's prayers and i need yours. I love you and thank GOD for you and your dear prayers and your dear encouragement to my heart...thank you for giving me the privilege to pray for you.
With all HIS love,
mitzi
"Men ought always to pray and not to faint." Luke 18:11
"But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to GOD and does not come from us." 2 Cor. 4:7
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